Instructional Strategy Share-A-Thon!! Post the best Instructional Strategies you have seen or used yourself….The strategy with the most “favorites” and “comments” will win an Instructional Strategy Resource! Contest runs through January 2nd. Winner announced on January 3rd.

One strategy that was selected from an ACT/NT3 School was the strategy of “sticks” to increase discussion from all students in small groups within a classroom. The teacher gives each student in a small group 3-5 sticks. Each person is expected to add/comment in the group that many times, laying a stick down each time the student responds in the group. This strategy encourages communication, discussion by all and attempts to eliminate one person dominating the group.

One strategy that I love to use in my classroom is Plickers. Plickers is an app that can be downloaded on phone and iPads and used in many different ways to engage students. I like to use Plickers in small group for test reviews/ formative assessments, whole group, and as self assessments. Plickers allows you to download QR codes that all look different and are assigned to students by number rather than by name. This allows students to feel confident as they answer knowing that if they miss the question, only they will know. This strategy also helps students and teachers view their own data in a clsss graph to see what areas students need more work in. I will often have my students answer questions using Plickers and then prove their answer by referring to the text. Students are then able to back up theirs answer with evidence as they discuss with their groups. Plickers is very simple to use for kids and adults! The kids also really enjoy using it.